Game apparatus



T. A; LLOYD GAME APPARATUS Feb. '27, 1940.

Filed May 22, 1939 EWE INVENTOR. Z ILIESEN A. 11.0 YD

' ATTORN Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES .rATE OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Ta-liesen A. Lloyd, Los Gatos,-Calif. Application May 22, 1939, Serial No. 275,025

'6 Claims.

The present invention :relates to game apparatus and more particularly to a gamewhich is playable upona board over which play pieces, such as checkersor the like, are moved succes- =5 sively by opposing players.

An object of the invention .is to provide a new and novel game apparatus inwhich play pieces are moved successively by opposing players over a game board having changeable characteristics '10 in which the movements of the play pieces of .the

respective players are determined by the changed characteristic of the board. I

Another object of the invention is to-provide a game apparatus having play .piece supporting 15 areas from one to the other of which playing pieces are adapted to be moved by opposing players in which the character of said areas may be periodically change-d to vary the playable path for the play pieces.

go Another object of the invention is'to provide agame board having a checkered surface over which checkers are adapted to be moved as the game progresses and in which the character of the checkered surface is changeable to control 35 the possiblecourse'of movement for the playing pieces thereupon.

A further and more general object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus in which playing pieces are moved upon a game .30 board in a manner following-that obtaining in checkers and/or chess and in which the character of the game board may be changed during the course of the game without disturbing the .play pieces to thereby render the possible move- 5 .ments of the opposing play-pieces of an uncertain nature aseach player is called upon to make his play.

For a better understanding of the inventionreference should be had tothe following descrip- 1 tlon takenin connection with the accompanyingdrawing wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation preferred embodiments'thereof.

In the drawing; I 4,5 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a game board constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a play piece in the form of .aconventional checker, 5 Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line III--III of Figure 1 looking indirection of arrows,

Figure 4 is a plan view of an element of the game board shown in Figure 1 of the -.drawing,

55 Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing axletail of construction of the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing,

1 Figure (i is fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a perspective View of an accessory, 5 such as may be used with the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawing. Reference is now made to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing for a detailed description ofthe invention. As shown in these figures of the draw-. ing, the invention in its simplest form conten plates a game board, designated by the numeral 10, upon the surface of which there'is formed a plurality of adjacent outlined areas H from one to the other of which a play piece, not shown,

is adapted to be moved in accordance with predetermined rules as the game'progresses. Associated with the game board it there is a r0- tatable disc l2 that is adapted to be turned or spun periodically at predetermined intervals throughout the game and upon which there is formed, as will hereinafter appear, suitably arranged designating characters that are adapted the designating characters upon the disc l2' may be viewed fromthe top of the board to deters mine the character designation of the areas con- .35 taining no playing pieces, eachof the outlined areas H is provided witha central aperture 15 that forms asight opening therein. The apertures iii are here shown as square in outline, but it is to be understood an aperture of any suitable shape, as :for example a round hole will serve "equally well. It is also contemplated that the outlined areas Il may be formed by suitably etched outlines upon a sheet of glass orother transparent material so that the rotatable disc I2 with its area designating characters will be clearly visible through. the game board Ill.

As will be clear from Figure 3 of the drawing, the shaft 13 with the rotatable disc l2 formsa unit which may be spun like anordinary top by .59 means of the spinning knob 54. When such a spinningmotion is imparted to the shaft l3 the rotatable disc 12 will travel beneath the apertures l5 and as a result difierent area designating characters upon thedisc l2 will be visiblethrough the 5s outlined areas I I.

apertures I as will be determined by the position in which the rotatable disc I2 comes to a stop.

In Figure 4 of the drawing the rotatable disc I2 is shown as having a checkered area similar in dimensions to the playing surface formed by the outlined areas I! upon the game board ID. The checkered areas, as here shown, comprise a series of alternately arranged red and blue squares, respectively designated by the numerals H5 and I1. With this arrangement it will be noted that by. having an even number. of squares in each horizontal and vertical line of the checkered surface, the squares at the opposite ends of each line are of a different color and consequently upon each revolution of the rotatable disc I2- there will be produced two changes in the color that will show through the apertures I 5 of any one of the outlined areas I I uponthe game board I I 0. Therefore, since the position in which the rotatable disc I2 will come to a stop is uncertain, there will be introduced into the'game an element of chance that will determine the possible direction in which the playing pieces of each player may be moved after each spinning of the rotatable disc I2.

In order to insure a stopping of the rotatable disc I2 after each spinning thereof, with the characters thereupon in coincidence with the outlined areas II upon the game board If], the shaft I3, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, also carries a four pointed hub It with which a suitable stopping means I9 is adapted to cooperate. The hub I B has the shape of a mutilated square and the stopping means I9 is shownas a spring having a configuration at its free end which is comparable to the surface of the hub It.

With this arrangement it will be seen that'when 1 the rotatable disc I2 and the hub B8 are set in rotation, as by the application of a spinning force to the shaft I3 by means of the knob It, the spring I9 will ride over the four points of the hub I8 as long as the rotatable disc I2 retains sufiicient momentumto overcome the stopping action of the spring I9. However, when the rotatable disc I2 loses itsmomentum the spring I stop I9 willoperate to bring the rotatable disc I2 to rest in one of four positions where either a red or a blue designating color will be in coincidence with each of the outlined areas II upon the game board I0.

For the purpose of describing the operation of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawing, it will be assumed that two players, A and B, locatedrespectively at opposite points upon the game board ID, are each provided withtwelve playing pieces of the type shown in Figure 2 of the, drawing,.it being understood that the twelve playing pieces of each player are of a different color. For example, the

player A may be provided with twelve pieces that are blue in .color and which are playable only upon the outlined areas II which are designated by a blue square upon the rotatable disc I2 as viewed through the apertures I5 of said outlined areas, and that the player B is equipped with twelve red playing pieces that are playable only upon outlined areas I l which are characterized by a red designating area upon the rotatable disc I2 as viewed through the apertures I5 of these With this equipment each of the players will start with his respective playing pieces positioned upon the twelve outlined areas II that are encompassed in heavier outlined markings 28- and 2| which-constitute the starting checkers or chess, the four outermost squares of each of the outlined areas 20 and 2! may be considered to constitute a king row, which when I entered by an opposing player, will convert his playing piece into a king piece that may be moved either backward or'forward, it being understood that during all prior moves the playing pieces of each player will be movable only in a forward and sidewise direction either diagonally or at right angles to the squares in which it at the time reposes. To start the play, the operator A, whose playing pieces are blue and are playable only upon blue squares, will grasp the spinning knob I4 and cause the rotatable disc I2 to spin and come to a stop. After such a spinning of the rotatable disc I2, the playerA will move one of his pieces to an open blue outlined area I I. After the player A has made his move, the playerB- will spin the rotatable disc I2 in the manner followed by the player A and will then moveone of his red playing pieces to a red outlined'area II, as determined bythe positioninwhich the rotatable disc I2 comes to a stop. This procedure will be followed-successivelythroughout the game, each player in his turn. spinning the rotatable disc IZbefore moving one of .his'playing pieces. 1 I

While the movements of the playing pieces of the players A and B have been described above as limited to squaresof different colors, it is conceivable that the game may be playedby limiting the moves of the playing. pieces of each of the players to outlined areas II of thesame chai acter, as determined by the position in which the rotatable disc I2 stops. It is to bealso under stood that instead of color designations, the ro-' tatable disc I2 may carry numbers, letters or words, as for example in the latter case the words "Stop and Go may be alternately arranged in the horizontal and vertical rows of. the-rotatable disc I2.

Reference is now made to Figures 6 and'l of the drawingfor a description of a further embodiment of the invention. Ashere shown, the;

piece areas 23 whichcover substantially the.en-

tire surface of the, gameboard 22;;Theoutlined upon the game board lELare each .providedewith sight apertures 2.4 through which an indicia carrying. member 25 is vvisible.v The member 2 5.:i s mountedbeneath'thezgame board 22 so that it may be moved between .twopositions with-a sliding movement by means of an operating handle I 26. The upper surface of the movable ;member 25 is here shown as having a checkered surface formed by alternately arrangedred and blue squares, respectively designatedby the numerals at areas 23 of .thisgameboard, .likejthe areas.

2'! and 28. The arrangement of the red and blue squares 2'! and 28 of the checkered surface upon the movable member 25 is such that ,when it is in its outermost position, asillustrated, therespective outlined areas23 upon the game :board will provide a playing-surface having arpredetermined color arrangement, and when the movable member 25 is inits innermost positionthe outlined .areas 23 willgbexrespectively of .a differ ent color and will thus provide-aplayingi surface having a different color arrangement. For. ex-

ample, when the movable member 25 is iniits outermost position, i thesquares in the f-bottom row-, reading from left to-right, will be -designated as blue, red,"blue,.etc., and when the movable member is in its innermost position, the color designation of these squares will be reversed.

In order to maintain the element of chance in the game, ascontemplated by the invention, it

' ed thereupon, the arrow being adapted to cooperate with suitablymarked areas upon the card 29 which will indicate, for example, whether the next move of a player is to be made with the movable member 25 in its innermost or outermost .position. As alternative forms for this accessory,..it is contemplated that a spinning top having flat, sides with proper indicating indicia might be substituted for the card 28 upon which the pointer 30 is mounted, or as afurther alternative form, it is conceivable that an ordinary dice-like 'memberhaving proper indicating indicia upon its six sides might be used for the purpose .of determining into which position the movable member 25. is to be at the time of the next move by a player.

With a. game board of the last described type it will be understood that at the start of the game the playing pieces may be arranged in lines ex tending entirely across the board and while in the preferred arrangement it is contemplated that the playing pieces may be placed upon adjacent squares at the start of the game, it is also conceivable that the game may be started with playing pieces arranged only on alternate squares of the same color, as is the case with checkers. A

further feature of the present invention is that the movement of the playing pieces may be limited to a diagonal path or to a straight forward or sidewise path or in fact to any combination of these paths. In other words, the paths of movement of the playing pieces of any particular player may be determined by rules established or agreed upon at the beginning of the game. After the game has progressed to a point where the opposing playing pieces come into proximity with each other it is also contemplated that the opposing players in moving their playing pieces will, in attempting to reach the king row of his opponent, also endeavor to jump and remove from the board as many of his opponents playing pieces as possible, in much the same manner as in the game of checkers. A variation of this game may also be provided by establishing rules that will permit the removal of an opponents man by moving a playing piece to a square occupied by an opponents playing piece, as in chess.

From the above it will be seen that this invention provides a game apparatus upon which many complicated and interesting games may be played in which skill, comparable to that applied in playing checkers or chess, is required and in which at the same time there will also be introduced an element of chance tending to defeat and/or at least make difficult the following through of any definite line of play on the part of the competing players. 7

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means ldiSC1OSGd,'b1.1t may be embodied in other ways thatwill suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and it is desired to claim it so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is- 1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a play piece supporting surface .having areas thereupon from one to the other of which a playing piece is adapted to be moved, the movements of the playing pieces of each player being limited to areas of a predetermined character, a disc rotatably mounted below and visible through said play piece supporting surface having different area designating characteristics formed thereupon and arranged when in different positions to coincide with the areas upon. said play piece supporting surface, and means for spinning said disc to bring the same or different designating characteristics thereupon into register with the areas upon said surface when said disc stops spinning, whereby the possible movements of the playing pieces of each player in his turn will be determined by the point at which said. disc comes to rest with respect tothe areas upon said play piece supporting surface. I

2. In a game apparatus, the comriination of a play piece supporting surface having areas there- I upon from one to the, other of which a playing piece is adapted to be moved, the movements of the playing pieces of each player being limited to areas of a predetermined character, a disc rotatably mounted below and visible through said play piece supporting surface having different area designating characteristics formed thereupon and arranged when in different positions to coincide with the areas upon said'play piece supporting surface, means for spinningqsaid disc to change the positions of the designating characteristics thereupon with respect to the areas upon said surface, and means associated with said disc adapted after each spinning to bring it to a stop with the designating characteristics thereupon in register with the areas upon said play piece supporting surface, whereby the possible movements of the playing pieces of each player will be determined after each spinningof said. disc by the point at which said disc is stopped with respect to the areas upon said play piece supporting surface.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a game board having-a surface with outlined areas thereupon from one to the other of which a v playing piece is adapted to be moved, said game board also having sight openings formed in each of said outlined areas through which a color providing means located therebelow may be viewed, the movements of the playing pieces of each player being limited to areas of a predetermined character as determined by character indications visible through the individual sight openings of said areas, and a movable member mounted below and visible through the sight openings formed in the outlined areas of said game board having two differentv alternately arranged character indications thereupon adapted when in one position to coincide with the sight openings of said game board and establish a predetermined character for each of the outlined areas upon possible movements of the playing pieces of each player upon said surface will be determined by the character established for said areas by movements of said movable member.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a game board having a surface with outlined areas thereupon from one to the other of which a playing .piece is. adapted to be moved, said game board also having apertures formed in each of said outlined areas through which a color providing means located therebelow may be viewed, the movements of the playing pieces of each player being limited to areas of a predetermined color as viewed through the individual apertures thereof, a vertically disposed shaft extending upwardly through the surface of said game board and having means at its upper end whereby it may be caused to spin, and a member carried by said shaft below said game board surface and visible through the apertures formed in the outlined areas thereof, said member having a checkered surface of contrasting colors adapted when stopped in one position to coincide with the apertures of said game board and establish one checkered color arrangement for the outlined areas upon said playing surface and when stopped in another position to establish a different checkered color arrangement for said outlined areas, whereby the possible movements of the playing pieces of each player upon said surface will be determined by the colors established for said outlined areas by a spinning and stopping of said movable member.

.5. In a game apparatus, the combination of a game board having a surface with outlined areas thereupon from one to the other of which a playing piece is adapted to be moved, said game board also having apertures formed in each of said outlined areas through which a color providing means located therebelow may be viewed, the movements of the playing pieces of each player being limited to areas of a predetermined color as viewed through the individual apertures thereof, a vertically disposed shaft extending upwardly through the surface of said game board and having means at its upper end whereby 2,191,991 it may be caused to spin; a member carried by said shaft below said game board surface and visible through the apertures formed in the out? lined areas thereof, said member having a checkered surface of contrasting colors adapted when stopped in one position to coincide with the ap- I ertures of said game board and establish. one

checkered color arrangement for the outlined areas upon said playing surface and when stopped in another position to establish a different checkered color arrangement for said outlined areas, whereby the possible movements of the playing pieces of each player upon said: surface will be determined by the colors established for said outlined areas by a spinning and stopping of said movable member, and means cooperating with said shaft adapted to stop said member in any one of a number of positions with its checkered surface in coincidence with the apertures of said outlined areas, whereby the checkered color arrangement of the outlined areas of the game board will be determined by the position :in which said member is stopped.

6. In a game apparatus, the combination of a checkered board over which playing pieces may be moved having conventional squared outlines thereupon with apertures formed in each of said squared outlines through which a square designating color is visible, the movements of the playing pieces of, each player being limitedto' areas of a predetermined color as viewed through the individual apertures of said squares, and a slidable member mounted below said. board having a checkered surface of contrasting colors visible through the apertures in each of said squared outlines, said slidable member being movable between two positions and adapted when-in one position to establish a predetermined contrasting color for the adjacent squares of said board and when in another position to provide an opposite contrasting color arrangement forthe outlined squares of said board, whereby the color arrangement of the outlined squares upon said surface will be changed with each movement of said slidable member.

TALIESEN A. LLOYD. 

